Naju City in South Jeolla Province has submitted a supplementary budget proposal of 1.2711 trillion won to the city council, aimed at boosting the recovery of the local economy and increasing investments in energy and advanced industries.
This amount is 128.9 billion won (11.3%) higher than the first supplementary budget of 1.1422 trillion won.
According to Naju City on August 24, the supplementary budget focuses on stabilizing the livelihoods of citizens and small business owners who are struggling due to high prices, rising fuel costs, and a decline in local consumption.
Funds will also be allocated to essential infrastructure expansion, enhancing the competitiveness of agriculture and livestock industries, revitalizing culture and tourism, and supporting projects necessary for sustainable regional growth.
Notably, the city plans to use 28.8 billion won from the additional general transfer tax provided by the government to establish a recovery support fund of 24 billion won for all citizens.
The recovery support fund, part of Mayor Yoon Byeong-tae's campaign promises, will provide each citizen with 200,000 won in Naju Love gift certificates.
This initiative aims to alleviate household burdens and stimulate local consumption, thereby revitalizing small businesses and local markets, creating a positive cycle that injects real vitality into the stagnant regional economy.
Naju City plans to initiate the payment process for the recovery support fund as soon as the second supplementary budget is approved by the city council, with the goal of distributing the funds before the Chuseok holiday.
In the area of economic recovery, the budget includes 570 million won for revitalizing the Yeongsanpo commercial district and 310 million won for supporting job creation tailored to local industries.
In the realm of citizen welfare and safety, the budget allocates 200 million won for a youth bus program, 650 million won for introducing low-floor electric buses, and 440 million won for comprehensive maintenance projects in flood-prone areas along the Najucheon River, enhancing the welfare and safety infrastructure that citizens can feel in their daily lives.
Investment will continue to expand the foundation for future growth, including 440 million won for preliminary costs related to establishing a master plan for an artificial sun research facility, 700 million won for basic and detailed design services for the Noan general industrial complex, 140 million won for strengthening support for energy growth and job linkage projects, and 280 million won for supporting an energy-focused job platform, all aimed at securing future growth drivers centered on energy and advanced industries.
In the agricultural and livestock sector, the budget includes 4 billion won for establishing a food tech research support center, 650 million won for supporting agricultural product distribution centers, and 180 million won for building a smart export-specialized complex, laying the groundwork for enhancing agricultural competitiveness from production to processing, distribution, and export.
Naju City is particularly focused on constructing a food tech research support center in the Dongsoo-dong general industrial complex, aiming for completion in the first half of 2027. The plan is to enhance the value-added through processing and commercialization, thereby stabilizing farm incomes and boosting the competitiveness of the local agricultural and food industry.
In the culture and tourism sector, the budget allocates 1.7 billion won for the Jeolla-do Millennium Historical Garden project, 1.7 billion won for national heritage landscape improvement projects, and 750 million won for the Namdo Food Culture Festival, aimed at expanding tourism content utilizing Naju's historical, cultural, and ecological resources and enhancing local tourism competitiveness.
The Namdo Food Culture Festival, which has a tradition of over 30 years, is held annually to inherit and develop the unique food culture of Namdo and promote regional economic revitalization. Naju City has been selected as the host for the festival for four years until 2029.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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